


One Very Strange Day (but it's a good one)

by Nightsrk



Series: Red Hoods and Blue Moons (and very angry alley kids) [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood: Lost Days, Under the Red Hood
Genre: Gen, Homelessness, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Internalized Misogyny, Jason Todd-centric, Service Dogs, be warned, it's pretty mild but like, john blake is a really good pick pocket and jason is just trying to bond okay, john blake-centric, schizophrenic jason todd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-04 12:05:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16346420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightsrk/pseuds/Nightsrk
Summary: John Blake is not like every kid on the street. For one thing, he has the worlds best dog. For another, he's friends with the infamous Red Hood. He's also a skilled pickpocket, which ends up coming in handy when Red needs to pass off information to another one of the Gotham bats.How many people get to say they worked withRed Hood? And didn't, you know, get their head cut off. John! And maybe like, a couple of the dealers down in the Narrows. But also John!





	One Very Strange Day (but it's a good one)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Welcome back! This is a little late but I tried my best.
> 
> Headsup, John is young, bilingual, and schizophrenic. He uses a lot of scattered grammar and odd turns of phrase. All that sort of nonsense is on purpose. He also is struggling with internalized misogyny and transphobia as a result of being young and ill-informed. Not everything he thinks is what I think.
> 
> (the schizophrenia in here is not exactly like real world schizophrenia)
> 
> John is also young and mentally ill- he's very much not a reliable narrator and he's picking up on different things than Jason would pick up on.
> 
> Regardless, I hope you enjoy! I've got a few ideas for the next one shot I'm chewing on, so please comment if you want to see more
> 
> (additional potential triggers listed at the bottom notes)

John sniffs, and gives Monami a good scratch on the chin. It’s getting cold already. It’s not as big a problem for them as it is for some of the other kids- a condition of being treated at the Wayne clinic is that they have to stay at one of their shelters (St. Swithin’s, because John was raised Catholic, even if a week in the alley was enough to rock that faith and a winter enough to get rid of the rest of it. He wants to honour what’s left of the life he used to have) and attend school (he’s failing and missing every other day but it’s a Park Row school so no one cares much). The clothes Red Hood bought are another big help. They aren’t new or nice enough to draw attention, but they’re warm and sturdy.

Even still. Winter is never an easy time for anyone. His first winter was the worst, but every one after has still been memorable.

“Monami,” he says very seriously, “we need a Plan for this winter.” Monami _boofs_ because she never _barks_ unless she’s picking a fight, and nuzzles closer for more pets.

St. Swithin’s is overcrowded so he’s been spending more nights on the street, with Father Reilly agreeing to report to the clinic that he’s still spending nights there as long as he comes in the morning to prove he’s not dead. Swithin’s has a meager breakfast programmed he can eat from but-

_They’re going to kill you, it’s all poisoned they poisoned it they’re going to kill you, the food is rotting and crawling with worms and you’ll all **die** -_

He has a capital T _Thing_ about communal food.

Boys under 10 are allowed to stay there for the day, because St. Swithin’s is a boys only home which is good. The boys thing, not the age thing being allowed to stay; John aged out of that and he doesn’t even spend nights here let alone days. The boys thing is good. Not so much if they find out John is _faking_ but it’s _so dangerous_ to be a girl out here so he’s turned himself into a boy, yeah, because he doesn’t want what happened his first year to _ever_ happen again-

He remembers being safe and that’s more than a lot of people have, and he’s grateful for it. Being a boy makes him closer to that (and it’s not so bad- maybe he doesn’t want to be a boy forever but he also doesn’t want to go being back to _just_ a girl for the _rest of his life_ -).

Even though being a boy makes him safer, he wishes he could go back. It was a warm home, and there was food. Momma had been busy, so he had been Responsible for keeping his younger siblings happy whenever his older sister was busy (Katie was always busy, and Steven was a Real Boy so even though he’s the oldest he hadn’t been expected to help and neither had dad). He had been a very good mother to them, like he tried to be a good mother for Taylor. He misses them. He misses Taylor, too, but Red Hood takes him to see her sometimes. She’s staying in a hospital right now because she’s a little weak (but that’s not your fault, John), so Red will sneak John in to hold her during visiting hours and that helps.

The last time he went to go back home, a new family had been there. They hadn’t been able to tell him where _his_ family had gone. He hopes they moved away because they didn’t want John to try and come home anymore and not because someone had been hurt in one of the Gotham-typical villain attacks. John knows he’s a failure but none of the others need to learn pain like he has.

He remembers each winter, but he can’t remember how old he is. That makes him sad.

“Stop soliciting me for pets, you fool.” he says, sniffing away the tears and kissing Monami’s sweet nose. “This is Serious Business, in capitals. C'est une Affaire Sérieuse. This will be our fifth winter together, but that doesn’t mean we can slack on it.”

Monami _boofs_ and gives him a reassuring wiggle. Monami knows what’s up.

“There’s always things worse than freezing to death,” he reminds her.

“Hate to ask how you know that,” comes the robotic of Red Hood. John turns quickly, grin spreading wider at the sight of his friend, “but I’m pretty sure I already know. What’s up, kid?”

He’s always so _cool_ with the red helmet and neat coat. John’s new clothes look similar to his armor and John wonders if Red did it on purpose, dressing John in his colours. It makes John happy, that Red likes and even _trusts_ him a little.

“Mr. Red!” John chirps because Red always twitches at the mister, getting up and brushing the dust off his bum. “Hi!”

“Hey kid, dog,” he says, crouching down to give Monami a couple of good scritches. “You busy? I need a hand.”

“Did you find another baby?” John asks, because Red Hood has never come looking for him before finding Taylor- John always showed up to offer a hand. Or didn’t, if he was busy. He sits back down because Red doesn’t seem to be in a Hurry (capitalized).

“Nah. You’re a pickpocket, right? You fence down at, uh, at the Mad Dog bar?” he asks, and John nods because of course Red would know that. He’s like Catwoman, but a dog and also not as good. “I need your quick fingers.”

“I don’t believe you can’t steal things yourself.” says John, watching something skitter around in the shadows. Red talks a lot about noises, but John sees things mostly. Sometimes smells, like his mother’s perfume, or blood where there isn’t any. Olfactory hallucinations, says John’s therapist.

“Yeah. This is special, though,” he says, wiggling out of his crouch to sit next to John on the step. John leans against him immediately, because the Red Hood is safe to touch and John misses physical comfort.

(but the feeling of skin just reminds him of those men, now, when he was young and stupid and still a girl-)

Red doesn’t shrug him off, instead throwing an arm around his shoulders and tugging him closer. John feels warm, and pats his lap to encourage Monami to cuddle up as well “The target is a policeman. I need to get him some information, but he knows my face. Bump into him, slip his wallet, and give it back with a thumb drive I’ll give you safely tucked inside.”

John frowns “Isn’t that dangerous? I mean, if you want his stuff I can slip it. I’m not great at putting it back, though.”

Red Hood shrugs “Then give him a nudge and hand it back- say you found it on the ground. Don’t worry, this cop is as clean as it gets. He won’t do anything about it.”

“Okay,” says John. “I trust you,” because he does. Red hood squishes him a little harder in acknowledgment.

“It won’t be till nearly noon, I’m afraid,” says Red Hood because it’s currently 3 something am “So you’ll be up late. I grabbed some newer clothes for you, so you won’t be as suspicious- we’ll have to go back to the safehouse so you can shower and change, anyway. If you want a nap we can had there now.”

“Didn’t you sell the apartment?” Red had seemed really paranoid about one of them- he or John- getting hurt because someone could connect Red to John through the apartment. Even though they’re still blatantly associating with each other, given they’re sitting on the stoop in front of a public bodega. John takes a glance behind him and yep, the cashier is staring. Red gives her a little wave, and she just. Leaves the counter and disappears into a door at the back.

“ _Oh my god,_ ” hisses John, delighted “She just left!”

“Most people are still scared of me,” says Red Hood, sounding awful pleased even through the distortion of his voice modulator “I _do_ kill people.”

“Ye _ah <-em>,” drawls John, unimpressed “So? This is Crime Alley. I could be killing people.”_

_“You’re not.” Red sounds so certain about it that John can’t help but grin. Most people think he’s gonna be the next Joker since he got diagnosed so young and with such a scary disease._

_John is a Robin, though. Momma was right about that. And Red Hood seems to think so, too! Asking for help. John will be a great Robin. The _best <-em> Robin.__

__“No,” he agrees finally “I haven’t killed. Sometimes I wanted too, though.”_ _

__“Yeah, but you didn’t. And you probably never will. You’re a good kid, John. And no one can be mad at you for thinking things.”_ _

__“You sure?” asks John in a small voice, because he loves Red but Red is wrong. John gets in trouble for thinking things all the time. Sometimes he thinks he sees things. Sometimes he’s convinced his family will want him back. He’ll think he’s safe in a place with _men <-em>. He thinks he’s a boy, a girl, a nothing. Sometimes he thinks awful thoughts, about hurting himself and other people, about putting pins into his eyes and a knife in that sore spot under his shoulder blade. John thinks bad things so he tries to be kind but does it matter, when his insides are so rotten?__ _

___“I’m sure.” Red says firmly, giving his shoulder a squeeze “Now c’mon. I’ll make soup. And, to answer your question, I did sell the apartment but no one has moved in yet, so I’m using it anyway.”_ _ _

___ _

___John takes a shower as soon as they get to the not-safe safehouse because it felt really good last time. This time, he makes Monami get in too, and scrubs her down with the baby shampoo. Her fur is disgusting- she needs a bath more than he does, so he tries not to worry if it’s really safe or not. It’s probably better than the toxic stuff from Gotham gutters that’s clinging to her._ _ _

___The soap stings at all the places he’s gotten hurt. Some of it’s okay, like his skinned knees from where he scraped them trying to fish a cat out from under a dumpster, but some of them make him mad. He’s angry at himself when the shampoo burns the scratches he made while nervous, and he’s frustrated when he sees the bruising where he’s bitten his arms. He doesn’t mean to hurt himself, it’s just that fear and anger curdle his stomach and he doesn’t know how else to make it feel like pain and not sickness. Monami licks at the scars on his thighs when he digs his nails into them because he’s stupid and they make him feel afraid, and doesn’t protest when he drops the bar of soap on her nose by accident. She’s a good girl._ _ _

___John steps out of the shower and doesn’t look at the Thing That Doesn’t Exist clinging to the door._ _ _

___Monami’s fur is long and tangled, but Red had left a strong looking comb and stuff on the counter for him, but Red already knows he doesn’t have hair, so he figures it’s meant for Monami, anyway. That was not a coherent thought, John._ _ _

___They drip water all over the bathroom, and she doesn’t protest as he tries to get the comb through her fur without hurting her. It probably does hurt. John remembers Katie brushing his hair, back when he was safe enough to have it long, and it always hurt._ _ _

___There’s a knock “Yo,” comes Red’s electronic rasp “Soup’s done. You okay in there?”_ _ _

___“Dog. I’m comb- bra- brushing Monami.” John grunts, picking at a particularly stubborn mat “I think I need scissors to cut some of the tangles out.”_ _ _

___“Okay. Come out, eat, and I’ll help you after.”_ _ _

___“Okay.” John agrees. He hasn’t dressed yet, and is covered in dog fur, so he hops back in the shower just to rinse off a little. The hot water is so nice._ _ _

___His clothes are gross, but when he checks the floor just outside the bathroom there’s a pile of fresh ones waiting for him. They’re much nicer than the clothes Red gave him before, so John thinks these must be the clothes he’s going to be stealing in. The jeans are actually still blue, and the Wonder Woman t-shirt is new._ _ _

___The jacket is almost exactly like the one Red Hood wears and John puts it on happily. Monami gives it a curious snuffle, and the whole bathroom stinks like wet dog so the clothes probably will, too. That’s okay. Anything that reminds John of Monami is a good thing._ _ _

___“Can I keep these?” John asks when he wanders into the kitchen “Like, not _on_ me because someone will kill me for them. But I want them.”_ _ _

___“I’ll keep them at my apartment,” says Red. He’s already got the helmet tipped up to eat, so his voice is strangely flat and funny, with a heavy Crime Alley accent. It’s much nicer than John’s butchered Crime Alley and Quebecois mix. “You can wear ‘em whenever you come over to my safehouses, or whatever.”_ _ _

___He has scars on his jaw that remind John of the nail marks on his head “I need a hat, though.”_ _ _

___“I’ve got one for you. It’s a Nightwing hat.” His mouth twitches up, and John smiles big in response even though he doesn’t really understand, lets his cheeks stretch like warm wax. “Eat your soup. There’s water and food for Monami by the fridge.”_ _ _

___“Kay.” It’s some kind of spicy orange-coloured soup, and he eats it as fast as he can because it’s so good. Monami goes to her food at a flick of John’s foot because she is very well behaved and won’t leave his side unless he says so, even if she’s hungry. Red slides him a second bowl wordlessly when he finishes, and John eats that, too._ _ _

___“Mr. Red?” John starts, as soon as he’s done the soup._ _ _

___“Please drop the fucking mister.” he says predictably, dropping the bowls in the sink and leaving them there. His helmet is flicked down again so he sounds like a robot. John is bad at picking out emotions in voices, though, so it doesn’t matter much. Everyone is a robot to him._ _ _

___“Mr. Red,” John says more firmly because he’s a little shit “How come you’re giving information to the police? I thought you hated them.”_ _ _

___“I do, but this policeman isn’t an ordinary policeman. He’s another vigilante.” Red sits back down across the table, pulling the promised Nightwing hat out of one of his many coat pockets._ _ _

___“Oh! So I’m stealing Dick Grayson, then?” John asks, taking the hat and sliding it on to cover the jagged cuts. The shower hasn’t taken all the blood from under his nails, he notes._ _ _

___Red Hood doesn’t say anything, and John gets the bizarre feeling he’s being stared at._ _ _

___“Anyone with working eyes knows Bruce Wayne is Batman. And he picks up new kids every time a new vigilante appears, it’s not hard to figure out.” John grumbles defensively “I’m right, aren’t I?”_ _ _

___“No,” says Red, because he’s a lying vigilante._ _ _

___“So I’m not robbing Grayson?”_ _ _

___“No, you are,” and that’s _definitely_ amusement, the one thing John can reliably pick up on “But he’s not Nightwing.”_ _ _

___John blinks from underneath his Nightwing hat. “You’re such a fucking liar.”_ _ _

___“Language,” says Red, because he’s a hypocritical, lying, vigilante._ _ _

___John rolls his eyes “Okay, I’ll go rob your vigilante love rival and give him your information. The point stands though- you hate the Bat family more than you hate cops.”_ _ _

___“Eh,” Red wiggles a hand “The girlies are okay. I think. I’ve never met them.”_ _ _

___John hisses wordlessly, because Red is just _proving his point_. Red laughs at him, an inhuman sound through the masks filter. Monami, firmly by John’s side, pants happily. John feels warm in a way he hasn’t since Momma left him in the alley, years ago. He thinks it might be happiness. Or maybe it’s just the temperature._ _ _

___“Anyway, I had this whole folder prepared to brief you on Officer Grayson, but I guess I don’t need that, anymore.”_ _ _

___“Sorry,” says John who is not sorry “I spend a lot of time in the library dicking around. Every single newspaper in Gotham either mentions the Batfam or Wayne and the Wayne kids. There are so many.”_ _ _

___“God, you’re like, 12. Why are you reading newspapers.”_ _ _

___“I’m homeless and bored.” says John, and does not correct him about John’s age._ _ _

___“Fair. Let’s brush Monami and get down to Bludhaven.”_ _ _

___ _

___Monami and John are now both clean and decent looking. Red Hood is out of uniform and into a costume, wearing a pretty floral dress, a leather jacket, and lots of makeup. His scars are gone and he’s done something to make the light hit his face differently, making himself look older but more ladyish. He’s got a long brown wig on, too, black and white hair smoothed under with minimal fussing._ _ _

___“No one’s going to think I’m the Red Hood like this.” he explains, ushering John into a nondescript car “My usual disguises will attract too much attention. And I can pull it off, anyway.”_ _ _

___“You can.” John agrees because Red is very pretty. “Is there any chance- if you’re com- going to be keeping these clothes, can I have a dress, too?”_ _ _

___“Sure, kid.” Red Hood reaches over and buckles John’s belt for him because John wasn’t doing it “Floral, like this one?”_ _ _

___“Yes please.” says John “I haven’t worn a dress in ages.”_ _ _

___“No worries, kid, I’ll find you something.” And then, after a beat “Should I keep calling you John, then?”_ _ _

___“Uh-huh,” says John, helping Monami get settled in the foot well as Red pulls out “It’s easiest.”_ _ _

___“You got it, kiddo,” Red says, brushing a fake curl out of his eye ”I have an appointment with that therapist you recommended on Thursday.” John doesn’t know what day it is. “Ms. Lau?”_ _ _

___“Liu.” Ms. Liu is John’s therapist - the one who says things like ‘olfactory hallucinations’ and has candy in her purse. “She’s great! I’m glad you’re going.” John beams at him, feeling his cheeks stretch funnily with the expression. John does not smile often enough for it to feel natural. Red Hood is very good, and John knows how annoying being sick is. He wants Red Hood to be able to avoid that confusing suffering._ _ _

___“Yeah,” says Red “I’m still pissed about it, to be honest. I don’t want to be sick.”_ _ _

___“Better to be pissed and getting treatment versus pissed anyway because you’re always angry, Red, and not getting it.”_ _ _

___“Rude, but fair.” He shoots John a little crooked grin and John feels all warm “Can’t do my damn job if I’m sick out of my head, am I?”_ _ _

___“Mhm.” John agrees. Monami is making the entire car smell, but Red doesn’t seem to be bothered at all, so John doesn’t ask about rolling a window down._ _ _

___There’s some kind of thing in the back seat that makes John’s nose hurt, but Red can’t see it. John wonders what Red is listening to._ _ _

___“So, how come I’m reverse-robbing Mr. Nightwing.” John asks “Are you working together?”_ _ _

___“God no,” Red laughs “Nah, never again. Not with him. Also, stop with the misters.”_ _ _

___“No.”_ _ _

___Red ignores him “I picked up some information that relates to a case he’s chasing. No point in me picking up the tail, but it’ll help him close the case faster. I’m not such an asshole to keep information away from someone trying to save people. Even if that person is a Dick.”_ _ _

___“Ugh,” groans John, like he isn’t making as many ‘Robin’ jokes as he can possibly sneak in._ _ _

___“How did you even figure it out? About Bruce?”_ _ _

___“So you’re admitting-“_ _ _

___“No,” says Red because he’s an asshole. “But like. Walk me through it.”_ _ _

___John chews his lip and doesn’t answer right away. It’s hard to explain- a lot of it is just John drawing conclusions with no proof. But he does that a lot, and it’s kept him alive this far._ _ _

___And then, slowly, because words are not John’s friends whenever it really matters: “I met him once, before I got kicked out. My parents both rok- work for him. Or they did. I don’t know now. And then again, later. At St. Swithins- it’s a boys home, it’s funded by the Wayne board. I have to stay there in exchange- uhm, while I’m getting treatment? It’s a rule. And I saw, on his face, something I didn’t before. Something in his eyes. And I started… putting things together.”_ _ _

___John saw in his eyes what he sees in his own. A lie that’s a truth, too. John is John, but he used to be Johanna, used to be _Robin_ , and he never really stopped. And then, when starting watching Mr. Wayne, he saw things. And he began to understand._ _ _

___“There’s not- no way a man like Mr. Wayne pretends to be has eyes like that.” says John “There’s no way he could know enough to put that espresso- expression on his face if he was just some rich white boy. So I looked.”_ _ _

___Red doesn’t speak for a moment, just puts his big hand on John’s shoulder. He has a ring shaped like a snake. The eye blinks blackly at John._ _ _

___Red clears his throat “You’re a real piece of work, kid. Anyway, it’s not true.”_ _ _

___“If you’re saying that to tell the truth, squish my shoulder.” says John “If you’re doing it to hold appearances, don’t. I’m psychotic, no one will believe me anyway.”_ _ _

___Jason snorts, but he takes his hand off without squeezing so John considers his point made. He Knows Things._ _ _

___“It’s okay to tell the truth,” says John “I’m very sneaky.”_ _ _

___“Mm.” hums Red._ _ _

___“Am too!” John protests, pulling out an ink component of a pen from his new jeans “Look!”_ _ _

___Red gives it a look, squinting, and then pulls the pen he’s carrying in one of his jacket pockets. It’s broken. “What the fuck,” he says sounding mildly impressed “That’s not bad, squirt. I figured this’d go okay because Dickiebird’s a real fucking softy. Didn’t expect you to have mad skills.”_ _ _

___“Thanks.” says John, proud “I’m like Catwoman, but with dogs, and also not as good.”_ _ _

___“Fair enough. You can be dog boy.”_ _ _

___“Red Hood and Dog Boy!”_ _ _

___“And of course you like it.” Red sighs. “Hey, John. Kid. You know you can be whoever you want, okay? You don’t have to stay with me.”_ _ _

___“Why wouldn’t I want to stay with you?” John asks, confused. “I like you.”_ _ _

___Red’s hands flex on the wheel leather gloves creaking, his whole body drawn up tight “You shouldn’t.” he says, voice thick. “I’m not a good person. You could get really hurt, John.”_ _ _

___“You’re the best person.” says John, and now he’s _really_ confused. Red never minded John’s weird speech or that he wants to wear a dress. He gave John the chance to help with Taylor even though John’s just a pigeon-dog-waste, and he makes soup and brings _clothes_ for John. He’s kind. And he didn’t even get mad at John for the schizophrenia. “Of course I want to stay with you.”_ _ _

___Red doesn’t say anything for a long enough time that Monami starts shuffling in the footwell _chuff_ ing as she does in awkward situations._ _ _

___“I became John because being Johanna was really dangerous,” says John, on a bit of whim. A whim. That’s how the grammar does. “And it’s good, and I don’t know if I want to go back to Johanna. I don’t ever feel unsafe next to you, though. So wherever you wanna go, I want to go, too, even if I can’t be John any more. Both of us. Monami likes you, too.” Monami gives an eager groan, shuffling excitedly._ _ _

___“You can be whoever you want to be, John.” Red says, a little stilted, reaching down to give Monami a little scratch. “Don’t ever feel like you have to change yourself on my behalf.”_ _ _

___John gives Red a _look_. He’s got too much makeup on to go pale, but John thinks he is underneath it. He’s got a weird face on._ _ _

___“Well,” grumbles John, “I want to be with you. So stop being a bitch about it.”_ _ _

___ _

___Mister Officer Grayson is out walking the streets with a partner that Red dismisses as ‘not important’. Red’s gonna be walking on the other side of the road in case anything goes wrong, and John’s gonna slip the flash drive (plain white, boring. John’s nails have blood under them from his scratching and he hopes it won’t stain) in Officer Graysons wallet._ _ _

____“Now,”_ Red had grinned _“Given you got my pen open without me noticing, I’m pretty sure you’re okay. Just slip the wallet, put the flash drive in, and tell him he dropped it.”__ _ _

___It’s super late for John. Usually he sleeps during the day because it’s safer, and is up at night. All his therapy appointments are super early in the morning, and he likes to check in with Father Reilly just before settling in to sleep somewhere, and then he goes to bed (or cardboard, park bench, or hole in the side of a building). He’s never up at this hour, even when he goes to school, so his head feels like it’s full of heavy bees and his hands are slow, but it’s okay! He’s okay! He’ll be the _best Robin.__ _ _

____John’s got a comm thingy in his ear. It’s small and he can’t really feel it but it’s bothering him, anyway. He doesn’t like it._ _ _ _

_____“Suck it up.” _comes Red’s crackling voice _“And stop talking out loud.”___ _ _

____“Make me,” John mutters, resisting the urge to give them away by blowing a raspberry at Red. And then he does it anyway, because who’s he kidding, John doesn’t do willpower; John does mania and vaguely nonsensical hysteria._ _ _ _

____Officer Grayson and his partner are lining up for coffee at a lil roadside booth. John’s just gonna. Walk by._ _ _ _

____Monami is a comfort, as she always is. John does not like stealing. He is very good at it, but he doesn’t like it. It always makes his throat leap into his heart- no wait. Shit. Wrong._ _ _ _

____Mr. Officer Grayson is just sliding his wallet into his back pocket, which is a great time to drop it. Monami gives him a little brush up, John snags the wallet and pushes the thumb drive inside. And takes the rest of his cash. Habit, you know? For feeding strays._ _ _ _

____“Hey there, boy.” Says Mr. Officer Grayson, giving Monami a little pet. John, eyeing his partner who is also watching Monami, drops the wallet like it really did fall down._ _ _ _

____“Monami is a girl,” John corrects “Sorry for bumping into you.”_ _ _ _

____Mr. Officer Grayson gives John a nice smile. His eyes catch on John’s hat for just a moment. It’s nice in a different way than Red’s are, because Mr. Officer Grayson has a very different face. And John doesn’t trust him, though he can see how people would. He has a kind face, and nice eyes. He’s pretty._ _ _ _

____John doesn’t trust anyone who looks nice. It’s easier to trust people who wear their violence on their smile. Appropriately, John smiles back and hopes it doesn’t look too wild. John’s face doesn’t always make them by itself, so he’s gotta plaster them together somehow._ _ _ _

____“It’s all right. I like dogs.” Says Mr. Officer Grayson, giving Monami another pat. “Does she have a leash?”_ _ _ _

____“No. She doesn’t need one, though. She’s really well trained.” John says “If I tried to keep her on a leash, I’d just end up losing it. I’m a scatter head.”_ _ _ _

____“There are leash laws for a reason,” says Mr. Officer Grayson’s partner “All dogs have to be leashed.”_ _ _ _

____“No,” John shakes his head, and takes a lil step back, nudging the fallen wallet with his foot “Oh- shoot, did someone drop something?”_ _ _ _

____“Oh! That’s mine!” says Mr. Officer Grayson, taking the wallet from John when john goes to pick it up “Jeeze, you think I’d notice something like that.” He takes a quick look inside, and _there_ , he’s eyeing John with the same quiet intensity John’s used to picking out in Red’s frame, in the bodies of men at Mad Dog bar. The tension that means violence. John winks, and stick his hands in the pockets of his new coat, which so closely looks like the Red Hood’s._ _ _ _

____Mr. Officer Grayson looks like a threat. It’s better than looking nice- John’s good at threats. John has met bigger monsters. He keeps an easy smile on his face, and excuses himself. Mr. Officer Grayson lets him go, but John can feel his stare all the way down the block._ _ _ _

____Maybe it’s the partner, angry about the leash business. That sounds better than Mr. Officer Grayson, vigilante man, watching him._ _ _ _

____John did a good job. He lets himself feel warm about that (or maybe that’s the sun; John’s not out during the day enough to be able to tell the difference)._ _ _ _

____As soon and John and Monami round the corner of the block, leaving the policemen behind, someone jerks hard on John’s elbow, pulling him along._ _ _ _

____“ _Run_ ,” Red hisses. The three of them break out into a sprint. _ _ _ _

____They run for a _while_ , John holding tight to the edge of Red’s leather jacket. It’s not because John thinks he might lag behind- he’s quick and clever and good at disappearing- it’s because he doesn’t want to pull ahead. Red probably has a plan on where to go, they aren’t just running willy nilly. John doesn’t want to forget that. The streets here are different than the streets of Gotham, shorter buildings, wider roads. It makes John feel whatever the opposite of claustrophobia is- like the air itself is threatening._ _ _ _

____Eventually, though, Red pulls into an alley, and they stop. Red is breathing heavily, and Monami looks shaky, but John feels fine. He could keep going. Something about that is probably weird. John doesn’t have the presence of head to carry his own pills, though, so he doesn’t say anything about it._ _ _ _

____“Okay,” Red gasps “Good job, kid.”_ _ _ _

____John beams. He did a good job! Red is happy with him!_ _ _ _

____“Now,” Red huffs, straightening his skirt, “you slipped him the drive?”_ _ _ _

____“Yeah. He seemed real shifty- suspicious? It’d be suspicious. He was suspicious of it.”_ _ _ _

____“Good.” Red nods “Okay, let’s head back to Gotham. You can crash with me today, since I don’t think you’re going to find a good spot to sleep this late in the day.”_ _ _ _

____John nods back, hard enough his teeth clack together. “Okay! But I need to talk to Father Reilly so he knows I’m okay!” Usually John drops by St. Swithins around eight in the morning. Father Reilly might be worried about him being so late._ _ _ _

____“I- Okay? A priest?” Red gives him a squinty glance and John giggles back at him._ _ _ _

____“I thought you know- knew- know? Everything about me,” John wags a finger at Red teasingly. “It’s a necessary- a requirement that I stay with a Wayne-Approved-Trademark-Symbol, all capitalized, shelter while I’m getting my meds from the clinic. But there’s more kids who need beds, and I had already learned how to survive on the streets. So I check in once a day instead and Father Reilly tells the clinic I’m staying there, and someone who needs it more gets my bed.”_ _ _ _

____“Oh,” Red grunts. “Well, okay. I’ll take you to your priest. Should we get food first?”_ _ _ _

____“I always want food.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____They get food. Red buys her- him, John is a him- a burger and fries and a milkshake and it’s so, so good. John is happy. Monami is also happy, because she also got a burger. What? She eats them all the time, usually out of the garbage. Then, they go to St. Swithins_ _ _ _

____St. Swithins is not an impressive building. It’s jammed between a laundromat and an apartment complex, a squat grey block with windows that don’t open. There’s no yard. The sign above the door says it’s a boys home, but John has never known anyone who felt at home there. It’s a place you go when you don’t have a home._ _ _ _

____“I’m just gonna go say hi to Father Reilly?” John asks. He doesn’t know why he’s asking. Can’t take it back now, though. Red just nods though, and gestures towards the door. He’s leaning on the car door, so John thinks that mean Red isn’t going to follow._ _ _ _

____John and Monami don’t go through the front door and instead skirt along the side of the building to go through the back. Front doors are evil._ _ _ _

____(John has another capital T Thing, and it’s front doors.)_ _ _ _

____The inside of the building is frigid. Maybe that’s God, telling John to fuck off until he’s faithful again. Maybe it’s because somethings wrong with the furnace. Either way, it’s unpleasant._ _ _ _

____The back entrance is empty, but Ms. Anderson, a volunteer lady, is in the kitchen._ _ _ _

____“John!” she gasps, touching her chest in the way older ladies do. “Oh, you’re okay! We were worried when you didn’t come to see us this morning.”_ _ _ _

____“Sorry Ms. Anderson,” John says gamely even though he’s not sorry. “I had a job to do at noon.”_ _ _ _

____“Are you okay?” she moves forward as though she’s going to touch his shoulder, but doesn’t actually reach out. That’s good. John doesn’t want to be touched by her. “What kind of job?”_ _ _ _

____“Just a delivery! I’m a-okay! I even got real food today, so I’m good.” John gives her a big smile. “I made friends with someone super nice!”_ _ _ _

____She gives him a smile, but John doesn’t think she looks happy about that. John’s a dipshit about body language, so he doesn’t call her out on it in case he’s reading her wrong, and lets her lead him to where Father Reilly is teaching the younglings about morals._ _ _ _

____Later, John should come back and show them how to pick pockets. That’s much more useful._ _ _ _

____“Just sit for the lesson?” Mrs. Anderson whispers to him, and John… isn’t sure. Red is waiting for him._ _ _ _

____Instead, John waves bigly, swaying his arm back and forth until Father Reilly glances up at him. The entire room of tiny children turn to look at John when Father Reilly stutters over his next couple of words. John gives him a double thumbs up._ _ _ _

____There. Everyone knows he’s okay. John can leave._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____“I’m going to leave now.” he whispers to Mrs. Anderson. She does not look pleased about this, but she won’t stop him. She never does. John arrived two winters into his stay on the streets- he was no longer the kind of desperate that listens to well-meaning concern._ _ _ _

____John doesn’t leave through the front door because front doors are evil. When he gets to the front of the building, Red is still there, leaning casually on his car. His skirt is riding up one of his legs, exposing the edge of a knife strapped to his thigh._ _ _ _

____“Mr. Red!” he calls “I’m back!”_ _ _ _

____“Yes I noticed.” Red nods. “Hop in, kid.”_ _ _ _

____Just to be a shit, John hops the rest of the way to the car on one foot. Red makes a face and shakes his head. It only takes John a moment to get Monami settled in the footwell, but Red doesn’t start the car._ _ _ _

____“What?” John asks, confused. Red makes an ugly snorting sound and leans over to buckle John’s seatbelt._ _ _ _

____“Oh,” says John “Whoops.”_ _ _ _

____“I get the feeling this is going to be a recurring problem.” Red sighs “Hey Monami, you’re clever. Remind John to do up his seatbelt, okay?”_ _ _ _

____Monami _buffs_. Red makes another face, and taps Monami’s snout with two fingers._ _ _ _

____“Does she understand me?” Red asks, finally starting the car and pulling away from St. Swithins._ _ _ _

____“I think so.” says John “She’s smarter than most dogs. She’s never had any problems adapting to new instructions before.”_ _ _ _

____“Was she like that when you met?”_ _ _ _

____John frowns. He’s never had any problems getting any animals to do what he wants, even cats and rats and pigeons. But Monami doesn't have any problems with _anyone_. “No idea.” John settles on “Can we go see Taylor?”_ _ _ _

____Red shakes his head “No, she’s getting evaluated to see if her health is up to par enough to leave the hospital. She’s already got a family lined up- the McGinnis’. We should give them a little space.”_ _ _ _

____“...But not too much space.”_ _ _ _

____“Hell no, she’s _our_ rooftop baby.” Red bumps his shoulder “If they take her home I’ll introduce us as weird cousins, or something.”_ _ _ _

____John hums, pleased. Today was a good day. He got almost 100 dollars out of the cop’s wallet. He got to be with Mr. Red._ _ _ _

____“Now,” says Red “Let’s head back to the apartment and get some rest. You look tired, kid.”_ _ _ _

____“Okay Mr. Red,” John chirps, settling in against the car seat “Hey, if you don’t want to be Mr. Red can I call you my brother instead?”_ _ _ _

____“Sure, kid. Why not.”_ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Potential triggers-  
> John references being abused/sexually assaulted during his first winter  
> John mentions being abandoned by his family for mental illness  
> John has weird gender feelings and some internalized transphobia  
> Mentions of Catholicism, and losing faith in religion  
> mentions of self harm  
> I think that's it? Let me know if you pick up on something you think i should add


End file.
